Effect of juice processing on cranberry antibacterial properties

The effects of the industrial juice process on the ability of neutralized cranberry samples and extracts (polar, apolar and anthocyanins) to inhibit the growth of Enterococcus faecium resistant to vancomycin (ERV), Escherichia coli O157:H7 EDL 933, E. coli ATCC 25922, Listeria monocytogenes HPB 2812, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442, Salmonella Typhimurium SL1344 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 were investigated. The juice process appeared to have a general enhancing effect on the antibacterial properties of cranberry polar and anthocyanin extracts. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (1.80–7.0 μg phenol/well) were obtained when S. aureus, S. Typhimurium, and ERV were exposed to the juice concentrate. The growth of P. aeruginosa, L. monocytogenes, E. coli ATCC, and E. coli O157:H7 was not inhibited by the juice concentrate, but did show sensitivity (maximal tolerated concentrations of 0.007–0.4 μg phenol/well). The lowest MICs (22.6–90.5 μg phenol/well) for P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. Typhimurium, and ERV were observed when they were exposed to the cranberry anthocyanin extract obtained from cranberry pomace. The results also showed a negative effect of the juice process on the antibacterial properties of the cranberry apolar extracts: the one obtained from frozen cranberries was most efficient against P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimirium (MIC of 45.50 μg phenol/well). The tested bacteria showed the greatest resistance toward the cranberry extracts obtained from the mash and the macerated and depectinized mash.